Stone-Carving Fest Selects Artists

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Fourteen stone carvers from around the world will converge on this Midwestern city, beginning next month, for Minnesota Rocks!, the International Stone Carving Symposium.
The event, organized by Public Art Saint Paul and presenting sponsor Hedberg Landscape and Masonry Supplies, will be held May 22-June 30 on the lawn of Saint Paul College.
“We are thrilled that these artists, with their considerable skills, have chosen to participate in this symposium,” said Christine Podas-Larson, president of Public Art Saint Paul. “Each is committed to the ideals of international friendship and understanding that form the basis of this huge undertaking.”
The event is the latest gathering of the Stone Carving Symposium movement, which started in Austria in 1959 at Austria’s eastern border. Spearheaded by sculptor Karl Prantl, artists from throughout the world gathered and created not only sculptures, but also lifelong friendships.
The fourteen artists of Minnesota Rocks! are Javier del Cueto, Mexico City; Juergen Zaun, Neuss, Germany; Atsuo Okamoto, Ajiki Tsukuba City, Japan; Lazarus Takawira, Harare, Zimbabwe; Lei Yi Xin, Changsha, China; Sakari Peltola, Salo, Finland; Salah Hammad, October City, Egypt; Pasquale Martini, Pesaro-Urbino, Italy; Lourdes Cue, Minneapolis; Craig David, David Wyrick and Peter Morales of St. Paul; Duane Goodwin of Bemidji, Minn.; and Michael Sinesio of Ely, Minn.
Each artist will create a sculpture from Minnesota stone for placement in public places throughout St. Paul, along with the nearby cities of Vadnais Heights and St. Anthony Village. The stone will be donated by Minnesota quarries, and Waite Park, Minn.-based Granite City Tool Co. will supply tools.
Stone for the sculptures will include dolomitic limestone from Vetter Stone Co.; Kasota limestone from the Mankato-Kasota Stone Co.; granite from Cold Spring Granite Co.; Oneota dolomite from the Biesanz Stone Co.; and stromatolite from Cliff’s Natural Stone.